The present invention relates to an article storage device and a shutter bendable in the sliding direction used therein. More particularly, the present invention relates to an article storage device installed at a console, a seat, and a door lining in a passenger room of a vehicle to store or hold an article, such as small or miscellaneous goods, a drink container, or a cellular phone.
FIGS. 13(a) through 13(c) shows three examples of conventional article storage devices installed in a door lining. FIG. 13(a) shows an article storage device disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication (KOKAI) No. 62-33335. The article storage device in FIG. 13(a) is formed of a storage section 51, which is provided at a corner section of an upper surface of an arm rest 50 and opened to have a substantially L-shape in section, and a cover 52 having a substantially inverted L-shape in section in correspondence with the storage section 51. The cover 52 is rotatably assembled with a lower rim of the storage section 51 on the room side through a pivotal shaft 53. In a case that a container K or the like is placed in or taken out from the storage section 51, the cover 52 is moved around the pivotal shaft 53 as a supporting point or fulcrum such that the cover 52 is switched between a closed position for covering the storage section 51 and an opened position rotated to the room side in a use state.
The storage devices shown in FIGS. 13(b) and 13(c) have a common feature in that storage sections 54, 57 are provided in a concave form at the upper surface of the arm rest 50 and the container K or the like can be inserted into the concave space from right above the storage sections 54, 57. In the device shown in FIG. 13(b), a cover 55 is rotatably assembled with a rim of an upper opening of the storage section 54 through a pivotal shaft 56, and the cover 55 is moved around the pivotal shaft 56 as a fulcrum such that the cover 55 is switched between the closed position for covering the upper opening of the storage section 54 and the opened position rotated toward the outside. In the device shown in FIG. 13(c), a door or a cover 58 is assembled with a rim of the upper opening of the storage section 57 through a pivotal shaft 59 and an urging spring 60, and the cover 58 is movable around the pivotal shaft 59 such that the cover 58 is switched between the closed position for covering the upper opening of the storage section 57 and the opened position rotated to the inside by resisting against a spring force of the urging spring 60. Incidentally, the storage sections 51, 54, 57 can be used as a storage section for storing the article other than the container.
All of the conventional structures described above are simple and convenient for holding the container or for placing in and taking out the container. The structures shown in FIG. 13(b) and FIG. 13(c) are excellent in that the cover 55 or 58 does not protrude to the room side as compared with the structure in FIG. 13(a). The structure in FIG. 13(c) is excellent in that the cover 55 at the opened position gets out of the way when taking out the article or the container K. However, in the conventional structure, in order to secure the article storing ability and container holding ability, the storage section needs to have an enough depth to a certain degree. As the depth of the storage section is increased, the ability of placing in and taking out the article is impaired, and an operation of opening and closing the cover is deteriorated. Also, in case that the installation site of the storage section 51, 54, or 57 is located at an uprising wall 61a of the door lining 61 as schematically shown in FIG. 13(c), when the article or the container K is placed in or taken out from the storage section 57, the drink container K hits the uprising wall 61a to make the uprising wall 61a dirty. Further, since the storage device is protruded significantly to the room side, the safety and the appearance thereof are deteriorated.
As the door or cover used in the storage device, there is a shutter guided by a guide groove provided along a rim of an opening of the storage section of the device. The shutter slides along the guide groove to thereby open and close the opening of the storage section as shown in FIGS. 14(a) to 14(c). A structure shown in FIG. 14(a) has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 54-33442. In the structure shown in FIG. 14(a), an upper opening of a storage device 50 is opened and closed by a shutter 53. Namely, the device 50 is formed of a case body 51 forming a storage section 51a opened at the upper side thereof, and a cover 52 provided with an opening 52a for covering the case body 51 from above. A guide groove for guiding the sliding movement of the shutter 53 is formed between the case body 51 and the cover 52. A shutter 53 includes a shutter main body 54 bendable through thin wall sections 54a, and a large number of projections 55 projected at both sides of the main body 54. The projections 55 are fitted in the guide groove, and the shutter 53 is moved from a closed position for closing the upper opening of the storage section 51a to an opened position by sliding toward the left lower side in the figure, in which the shutter does not interfere the storage section 51a. 
A structure shown in FIG. 14(b) has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 07-82967. In the structure shown in FIG. 14(b), a front opening of a storage device 56 is opened and closed by a shutter 58. Namely, the storage device 56 has a case body 57 opened at a front side, and guide grooves are formed in the vertical direction at both rims of an opening. The shutter 58 is formed in a plate shape with the upper and lower surfaces connected by a plurality of connecting pieces. A large number of notched grooves are formed at the upper or lower surface, so that the shutter 58 can be bent. Both sides of the shutter 58 are fitted in the guide grooves, and the shutter 58 is moved from the closed position for closing the front opening of the case body 57 to the opened position by sliding toward an upper inner surface side of the storage device.
A structure shown in FIG. 14(c) has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 08-192685. In the structure shown in FIG. 14(c), an upper opening of a storage device 59 is opened and closed by a shutter 61. The storage device 59 constitutes a case body 60 opened at an upper side, and guide grooves 62 are formed at both rim portions of the opening. The shutter 61 is formed of two layers, that is, a lower core layer and an upper layer, and includes a large number of projections and warp prevention pieces 61a at both sides of the shutter 61. The projections and the warp prevention pieces 61a are fitted in the guide grooves 62. The shutter 61 is moved from a closed position for closing the upper opening of the case body 60 to an opened position by sliding toward a right lower side in the figure, in which the shutter 61 does not interfere the case body 60.
The shutters described above are respectively formed of molded resins. When the shutter is switched from the closed position to the opened position, the shutter slides towards the position where the shutter gets out of the way of the storage device side. Therefore, the guide groove includes a curved section which includes a guide section corresponding to the curved section, and the shutter main body is bendable such that the shutter main body fits the curved section. Therefore, in designing the shutter, in addition to the appearance characteristics and the processing property, it is desirable that the shutter slides without rattling. It is also desirable to improve the flexibility at the curved section in the guide groove and have the good sliding ability. This is because a stronger force is required for sliding as the curvature of the guide groove is increased. On the contrary, if the fitting between the guide groove and the projections is loosely set, the rattling tends to occur.
In view of the foregoing, the inventor has studied the working characteristics of the conventional shutters. FIGS. 11(b) and 11(c) show a relationship between the shutter main body and the projections with respect to the guide grooves in the conventional shutters. Numeral 64 designates a guide groove formed in a substantially U-shape disposed at each rim portion of the opening of the storage device side. Numerals 65 and 67 designate shutter main bodies. The shutter main body 65 includes thin walled portions 65a via recessed portions in the width direction on upper and lower surfaces of the main body 65. The shutter main body 67 includes thin walled portions 67a via recessed portions in the width direction on an upper surface of the main body 67. Numeral 66 designates substantially semicircular projections projected at both side surfaces of the shutter main body 65, and numeral 68 designates circular projections projected at both side surfaces of the shutter main body 67. FIGS. 11(b) and 11(c) respectively show the examples in which the guide groove 64 constitutes the curved section. The sliding force of the shutter is proportional to a sum of a reaction force generated when the projections 66 or 68 try to follow the curved portion, and a reaction force generated when the main body 65 or 67 is bent through the thin walled portions 65a or 67a. 
In the conventional structures, since the projections 66 and 68 are respectively projected substantially parallel to the side surfaces of the main bodies 65 and 67, the main bodies 65, 67 almost fit within the width of the U-shaped guide grooves 64. Thus, the main body and the projection have almost the same bending curve R when they are bent at the curved section. As a result, the sliding ability is deteriorated since the main bodies 65 are 67 are hard to bend by the stress received from the projections 66 and 68, or since the projections 66 and 68 tend to receive the reaction force generated when the main bodies 65 and 67 are bent and deformed. Also, in the conventional shutters, since the main body and the thin walled portion are formed of the same material, in order to secure the flexibility at the thin walled portion while maintaining the rigidity of the main body, the recessed portions corresponding to the thin walled portions are likely to deteriorate the appearance of the shutter extremely.
Accordingly, objects of the invention are to solve the aforementioned problems. More specifically, one object of the invention is to provide a storage device, in which the ability of placing in and taking out the article and the property of holding the same stably are improved while the storage device can be used in many purposes, that is, the storage section thereof is excellent for holding small articles, or for holding relatively elongate articles, such as a PET bottle, to thereby improve the commercial value of the storage device.
Another object of the invention is to provide a shutter for covering the storage device, in which the rigidity, appearance characteristic and sliding ability of the shutter can be maintained optimally even if the curvature of the guide groove is increased, and the shutter can be held at any positions even when the shutter is disposed vertically or longitudinally, to thereby expand the application of the shutter.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
To achieve the aforementioned objects, the present invention provides an article storage device disposed in a passenger room of a vehicle. The article storage device comprises a storage section formed of side surfaces provided with protruded rim portions for holding an article therein, and a shutter for opening and closing an opening of the storage section. The storage section has side surfaces, a back surface and an inner bottom surface for dividing an inside thereof. The storage section includes guide grooves formed along protruded rim portions, and the shutter bendable in a sliding direction is slidably assembled with the guide grooves.
In the article storage device of the invention, an inside of the storage section is substantially partitioned by the side surfaces, the back surface, and the inner bottom surface, and the storage section is opened at a front side (passenger room side) thereof. The opening of the storage section is opened and closed by the shutter sliding along the guide grooves formed at the protruded rim portions at both sides of the storage section. Considering a case that the article storage device is disposed at the interior wall of the room, for example, since the storage section is opened at the upper side and the front side, even if the article held therein is a small article, such as a key, the article can be placed in or taken out from the lateral or horizontal direction, so that the ability of placing in or taken out from the device is improved as compared with the conventional structure with the upward opening. In addition, the storage device of the invention can easily hold even the articles, which are large-sized or small-sized containers, cans, or bottles as shown in embodiments of the invention. Also, since the shutter slides along the guide grooves formed at the protruded rim portions at both sides of the storage, even if the shutter is at the maximum opened position, the shutter does not protrude toward the room side of the vehicle, so that the safety and the appearance thereof can be easily maintained.
It is preferable to have the following structures in the article storage section.
Firstly, it is preferable that the shutter can be held at an arbitrary position in the guide grooves. In this case, in addition to the aforementioned advantages, depending on a size or length of the article to be held, the opened position of the shutter is adjusted, in other words, the shutter is stopped at the arbitrary position before the shutter reaches the maximum position after sliding from the closed position, so that the opening of the storage section can be suitable for the article.
Secondly, it is preferable that the storage device includes a holding section formed in a cylindrical form with a bottom, and the holding section provided for holding a drink container as the article is disposed at the inner bottom surface of the storage section. This structure provides an added value to the storage device of the invention. In this structure, the storage section is formed of the side surfaces, the back surface and the inner bottom surface to be opened at the upper and front sides. The opening of the storage section is opened and closed by the shutter. Thus, even if the cylindrical holding section with the bottom is disposed, by merely setting the inner bottom surface of the storage section at a substantially middle section in the vertical direction as shown in the embodiment, it becomes invisible by the shutter, so that the appearance of the device can be easily maintained. Also, by adjusting the opened position of the shutter as described above, drink containers with the different heights can be stably held by the storage device.
Thirdly, it is preferable that the holding section includes a first bottom receiving section provided substantially horizontally at an inner lower surface side of the cylindrical form of the holding section, and a second bottom receiving section having a diameter larger than that of the first bottom receiving section and inclined outwardly from a back surface side toward a front side or a shutter side. Supposing that the storage device of the invention is disposed at the interior wall or the door lining, a paper cup or small-sized can is held in the vertical state by the first bottom receiving section, and a large-sized can or bottle is maintained in a state that the large-sized can or bottle is inclined toward the room side, so that the holding ability and the ability of placing in and taking out from the device can be improved.
Fourthly, it is preferable that the shutter is moved to slide from a closed position, in which a distal end of the shutter abuts against the corresponding portion of the back surface, and a maximum opened position, in which stoppers provided at an inner surface of the shutter abuts against the inner bottom surface of the storage section to be regulated. This structure defines a sliding range of the shutter, and it will suffice to merely add the stoppers as a structure of regulating the shutter at the opened position, so that the structure can be easily made.
Fifthly, it is preferable that the shutter includes a shutter main body bendable at a plurality of thin walled portions, a plurality of projections formed at both sides of the main body, and hollow elastic portions formed at the projections. The projections and the elastic portions are fitted in the guide grooves, and the shutter can be held at an arbitrary position in the guide groove through the elastic portions. This structure has been devised to obviate the following problems. Namely, if the fitting between the guide groove and the projection is enhanced to be able to hold the shutter at the arbitrary position, the sliding characteristic is deteriorated. Therefore, this structure is provided with the hollow elastic portions, and accordingly, while the sliding characteristic is maintained due to the existence of the hollow elastic portions, the shutter can be held at the arbitrary position in the guide groove.
The shutter used in the article storage device of the invention is formed of a resin molding, and the guide groove at the storage device has a curved section. In addition, the projections are disposed lower than the main body by having a step between the main body and the projection, and the step therebetween is set such that a bending curve of the main body when being bent at the curved portion is deviated upwardly from the width of the guide groove.
Also, in the shutter used in the article storage device of the invention, the shutter main body and the projections are formed of a plurality of piece-shaped hard resin portions and soft resin portions. The hard resin portions extend in the width direction and are disposed at a predetermined interval in a sliding direction. The soft resin portions connect the hard resin portions in a state that the soft resin portions cover the design surfaces of the hard resin portions, and the soft resin portions form the thin walled portions between the hard resin portions.
Accordingly, the relative positional relationship between the shutter main body and the projection, that is, the projection is located lower than the main body by having the step between the projection and the main body, the bending curve of the main body when being bent at the curved section of the guide groove is deviated toward the upper side from the width of the guide groove. Accordingly, even if the curvature of the curved section of the guide groove is increased, the excellent sliding characteristic can be maintained. This is because of the following reason. Namely, in the invention, the bending curve of the main body is set to be larger than the bending line drawn by the projection, and at the same time, a distance between the projection and the main body and a distance between the projection and thin walled portion adjacent thereto are obtained, so that the main body can be more easily bent at the projections as supporting points, resulting in that the projection is difficult to receive the reaction force when the main body is bending.
In the conventional shutter, the shutter is formed of one of a hard resin structure, a soft resin structure, and two layer structure in which an inner surface is hard and an outer surface is soft. Thus, it is difficult to fulfill the conflicting characteristics, that is, the rigidity of the main body and the bending ability. However, in the shutter of the invention, the shutter is formed of a plurality of piece-shaped hard resin portions extending in the width direction and disposed at the predetermined interval in the sliding direction, and the soft resin portions connecting the hard resin portions in the state that the design surfaces of the hard resin portions, and the soft resin portions form the thin walled portions between the hard resin portions. Therefore, the rigidity of the main body and the rigidity of the projection can be obtained while the good bending characteristic is maintained, and the appearance is improved by reducing the sizes of the recessed portions (notches or grooves) corresponding the thin walled portions.